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How to deal with the fear in creating art

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People who create have to deal daily with fears–fear of failure, fear of success, fear of the blank page, fear of running out of ideas, fear that others will not like their art, etc. With all of these fears, it is a wonder that any art gets made.

Creating art is a vulnerable experience. You pour your creativity, emotions, and time into your work, only to put it out into the world and wonder: will anyone like it? Will they appreciate my vision? What if they don’t? These fears can be paralyzing, but they don’t have to be. Here are some ways to deal with the fear that others will not like your art:

Remember that art is subjective

In the article, “3 Reasons People Don’t Like Your Art (and How to Deal)”, the author talks about the fact that sometimes people just aren’t ready, or they saw it too early in the process, or it just isn’t their thing. What one person loves, another may hate. That’s the beauty of art – it’s subjective and open to interpretation. Just because someone doesn’t like your art doesn’t mean it’s not good or that it doesn’t have value. It just means that person doesn’t connect with it in the same way you do.

Focus on the process, not the outcome

Instead of fixating on whether others will like your art or not, focus on the joy of creating it. Embrace the process, experiment, and enjoy the act of creating. When you focus on the process, you can detach from the outcome, which can ease the pressure and allow you to create without fear.

Remember the reasons you created in the first place. Does creating bring you joy? Then create. Does creating bring you feelings of relief from stress? Then create. Does creating help you distance yourself from daily anxieties? Then create. The process is what art is about, not the finished outcome. Creating is an act of self-love and self-compassion; you do it for yourself and if other like or dislike it, that is for them to decide.

Surround yourself with supportive people

Surround yourself with people who appreciate and support your art. This can include family, friends, mentors, or other artists. They can provide encouragement, constructive feedback, and a safe space to share your work without fear of judgment.

In the article, “11 Things That Scare Creative Artists (and what you can do about it)” the author lists 11 things with proactive responses to help you over the problems. One thing in this article talks about the myth that creating art is a solitary experience, “We believe, since we are artists, we have to do it all on our own. What other occupation is so opposed to help from others? What makes us so different from the rest of the world? The answer is, nothing. If we want to take our art and career to the next level, we need the help of others. “

Yes, you usually create alone, but it isn’t required. Many people chose to join groups of other artists to work in a shared space and give each other support and critiques. There is no reason you should not include friends, family members, of customers in your space to share in your creating. There are so many groups on Facebook now that you can join and show your work for support and critiques that there is no reason to feel alone anymore. With support, you will learn to deal with the fear of creating.

Build your confidence

Building your confidence can help you overcome the fear of rejection. Practice self-care, celebrate your successes (no matter how small), and remind yourself of your strengths and accomplishments. The more confident you feel, the more resilient you will be when faced with rejection.

In the article, “Overcoming the Fear of Rejection: A Guide for Artists” the author discusses why fear of rejection is a major problem for creatives and it breaks it down into 3 concrete steps to help you deal with the fear this obstacle causes. Not everyone is going to see your art the way you do and that has to be okay with you. If you have confidence in your work, negative comments will not bother you at all. You will be able to see your art from their perspective and that may help you grow as an artist. You need to be open to trial and error, experimentation, failure, success, and all the other experiences that come to you when you create art.

Embrace rejection as part of the process

Rejection is inevitable in the creative process and we need to deal with the fear. It’s not a reflection of your worth or talent as an artist. Instead of avoiding rejection, embrace it as a part of the process. Learn from it, use it to improve your craft, and keep creating. Everyone gets rejected at some time or another. You don’t die. You don’t have to go hide in a cave. You get over it and move past it. You, as a creative, need rejection to grow.

Embrace it as a learning opportunity even though it may hurt your feelings, or make you question what you are doing. Try to see the artwork through the eyes of the rejector. Ask questions like “what don’t you like about it?”, or “are there any parts that you do like?”. Getting this information will help you see that they are not rejecting you personally. That is a big problem we have as creatives–not being able to separate our person from the art piece. We put so much of ourselves into our work that it seems impossible to be impartial about it. Learn how to separate the you from the work so you can embrace rejection and grow.

Take risks

Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and taking risks can be scary, but it can also lead to growth and new opportunities. Try new techniques, experiment with different mediums, or create something that feels outside of your usual style. When you take risks, you may surprise yourself with what you’re capable of.

In the article, “10 Biggest Fears For Creatives And Ways To Overcome Them “ the author lists 10 fears that every creative has to overcome with positive action steps to take. Once you recognize those fears in yourself and you free yourself from them, you will be able to take those risks that creating new work entails.

As artists, the worst thing that can happen is for you to become stuck in one pattern of work. There is no growth when you keep creating the same thing over and over again. Once you have learned all that pattern has to offer you, you need to risk moving on to something new and different.

Remember that we all have these fears and we all struggle. Sometimes knowing that helps you deal with it better. Just keep creating, no matter the fears, and remember that what you are feeling is normal. You are a creative person and you need to create to be healthy and sane. Just keep creating! Remember to do your self-care. You can read more about how to do that here.

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Doodles for Creativity?

Leave a Comment / Art, Art Journaling / admin

Yesterday, I was watching a video about doodles, and saw an artist explaining her process for doodling on top of her painted papers. Her work was beautiful and I was very inspired to try her method. It did not look very hard and did not look like I needed to be ultra-talented to make something beautiful myself. I sat at my art table and applied watercolor in splotches all over the paper and then waited for that to dry. She said to Google “patterns” to find things to use to put on your painting, so I tried that but did not really find anything useful. I remembered that somewhere I had a Zentangle book so I frantically looked for it. I found one but not the one I was looking for. Oh well.

When my paper was dry, I began by using waterproof ink marker and doodled circles of various sizes and placements on my paper. Then I started doodling on the painting. At first, it was really hard to focus and to decide what and where to put my doodles. After about 15 minutes of this, I started to relax and get into this process. It was like meditation. I just doodled around the paper, adding color here and there. I was shocked when I saw that I had been doing this for 2 hours! It felt like 10 minutes.

This process was very enjoyable and I plan to continue. There are several articles online that say doodling is a gateway to your creativity; I have to agree with them on that. If you just put pen to paper and just make doodles, you will zone out eventually and your creativity will take over. I hope you try this out for yourself to see how enjoyable this process is.

So, here is a picture of my piece:

Here are the videos I watched:

and here,

I hope you try this out for yourself. I am going to make another today, just for fun!

If you like this, check out my art journaling post here.

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Drawing cats escapes me

Drawing Cats:

Start with a circle for the head and an oval for the body. They should overlap slightly.
Start with the circle for the head and add a smaller circle for the snout that also should overlap slightly.
Draw a vertical line and a horizontal line across the center of the head circle. These lines will help you place the cat’s facial features correctly.
For the eyes, draw two almond-shaped ovals along the horizontal line. Leave enough space between the eyes for the cat’s nose.
Below the eyes, draw a small triangle for the nose. Add two small circles inside the triangle for the nostrils.
Add the cat’s whiskers by drawing three to four long, curved lines on each side of the face.
For the ears, draw two triangular shapes on top of the head. Add smaller triangular shapes inside the ears to show the inner ear.
Finally, add some details to the eyes by drawing a smaller oval inside each eye. Shade in the pupils and add some lines around the eyes to show the fur.
Remember to adjust the size and placement of each feature to make your cat’s face look unique. You can also experiment with different shapes and expressions to bring your cat to life.
Connect the head and body with a curved line for the cat’s neck.
Add the legs and paws, using small circles for the joints and rectangles for the paws.
Draw the tail, which can be curved or straight depending on the cat’s pose.
Refine the details, such as the fur texture and patterns, and erase any unnecessary lines.

This is a very basic instruction for drawing cats, but if I use it, I do get an animal that looks quite like a cat. However, it is in the refinement that I seem to lose my cat. These below examples show some improvement, but I am still missing something. Here is a video showing you how to do it:

Any Suggestions?

Cat’s faces express what they are thinking about. I know, many people feel cats are inscrutable, but if you take the time to watch one, you will quickly see them talking with their faces. I think this may be my problem, but I really don’t know how to fix it. Do you have an suggestions? I would love to hear them if you do because I really would like to be able to draw cats!

Here is another tutorial about drawing cats for you. I hope it helps you.

https://easydrawingguides.com/how-to-draw-a-realistic-cat/

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I made pigeons out of cardboard!

Leave a Comment / Art, Cardboard Art / admin

My last blog post was about finding an artist who uses regular cardboard to make art, specifically she makes gorgeous pigeons. The artist I am talking about is Cheryl Cochran and I was very inspired by her work, so I decided to see if I could copy some of it to learn how to do it. This is how they turned out:

How it make these pigeons:

I used regular boxing cardboard and it was difficult to cut out, but doable, and Ithink they turned out really great. This was a process and I learned a lot about doing this particular art. They are currently up on my wall by where I am typing right now.

Here is my process:

After finding the piece of cardboard, I drew a pigeon shape on it and cut it out with my knife carefully. Once all the pieces were cut out, I painted them by looking at photos. I used gouache to paint these birds because I like the matte finish it gives and the ease of use. It took no time to dry, which also made this a simply process. I glued the pieces together using Art Glue because it holds well and dries really quickly. I think this went well and I decided to make more birds the next day!

Here are the other birds I have made so far:

These where made with thinner cardboard from the backs of pads of paper and the back of an old desk calendar. They were all made the same way, except instead of painting the chickens, I used colorful paper to cover the bodies. Then I painted the other parts. And I am telling you, I love this. I plan to keep making these forever. They all now reside up on my wall so I can look at them all day. They make me happy.

Why I made pigeons:

In my previous post, I said I was drawn to the pigeons because of my experiences in Germany. Here are some photos that show you what I am talking about: Pigeons were everywhere. Anytime we went somewhere outside, pigeons surrounded us. After a while, you could see that they have a social system and that each bird has a personality. I sat in the center of town at a bench for hours watching these silly birds.

So, this is my post about making art using cardboard, specifically making pigeons from cardboard. I hope you are inspired to try this out because it is really fun. And this is something you can do with children.

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Cardboard can be Used to Make Art

3 Comments / Art, Cardboard Art / admin

Did you know you can use cardboard to make art?

I recently spent time on Pinterest looking at art and artists’ work. You can lose yourself there if you don’t be careful. On Pinterest, I found out that you can make the most beautiful art with only paper, paint, water, scissors, and imagination. I found artists’ works using paper to make paper-mache statues. They were stunning. They were creative and some were funny and others were just beautiful. Then there are artists using paper and scissors to make beautiful birds and beautiful animals; while others use the same tools to make gorgeous collages. Lordy, they are so wonderful.

But my favorite thing I found was an artist who makes pigeons out of cardboard. Yep. Regular, old cardboard can be used to make art. Her work is stunning. She shows these pigeons at art shows around the country and they sell like crazy. Heck, I would buy one if I had a chance to get my hands on one. I will post below some of her work as well as some of the other work I found.

A new way to see Art Supplies:

This all gave me pause to think about art in a new and different way. These artists literally used what they had on hand and turned out the most creative and colorful artworks. Amazing! Now I look at all my recycle with a new eye. It really does get you thinking about ways to use what you have on hand to make art. Now, it seems I have no excuse to put off making art; usually the number one excuse most people make is that I don’t have the supplies I need. Well, now I see that I really don’t need much and if I do need something, I can probably pick it up at the Dollar Store for really cheap. No more excuses.

I have always had an affinity for paper and paper products. My family jokes that I must have been a Druid in a previous life because I worship trees. Although they are probably wrong, I do not think the Druids were wrong. In fact, I think they were onto something with their tree worship.

My Cardboard Art Inspiration

So today, after I finish my house chores, I think I may dive into my recycle and try my hand at making some cardboard birds. They don’t have to be fancy. They are relatively simple shapes. I should be able to do this. I will try to take pictures as I go to post next week for you to see. In the meantime, I want to show you the work that got me started with all of this:

Aren’t they wonderful? I think they remind me of my trip to Germany to visit my daughter and family when they were stationed there. We sat outside in the central courtyard and watched so many different kinds and colors of pigeons. They were like pet cats. They would come up to you and beg for food. We spend hours and hours just watching those silly birds and laughing at them!

Other types of Cardboard Art:

Now I will show you some of the other artists that I found who also make cardboard art:

Aren’t they wonderful and fun? I can’t wait to try my hand at this. I hope you have enjoyed seeing these as much as I have. If you try it, won’t you please show me your work, too? Don’t forget to check out some of my previous posts here.

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